It was like a scene from an apocalyptic hallucination: A giant black something slowly eating away the sun until the sky turned the color of a near-extinguished cinder.

Much of the world missed out on Sunday's terrific solar eclipse. But those who were fortunate enough to be in its direct path – inside a thin line running from China to mid-Texas – did a good job of documenting the astral occlusion. I've tried to pick some of the better images for the above gallery, which includes views from San Francisco, Minneapolis, Nagoya, Japan, and elsewhere. You can find more fine photos over at SpaceWeather. Folks who find still shots boring can just watch this video: